1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope with a liquid and gas supply apparatus that supplies liquid and gas such as water and air, to the tip of the endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid and gas supply apparatus, which has a tank and pump, is usually incorporated in a light source apparatus for a fiber-scope or an electronic endoscope system including a video-scope with an image sensor and a video-processor. In the video-scope/fiber-scope, a liquid (water) tube and a gas (air) tube are provided. The tank is spatially connected to the liquid supplying tube and the pump is spatially connected to the gas supplying tube. Generally, water is stored in the tank, whereas the pump takes in and compresses flesh air and sends the compressed air to the tip.
To wash an objective lens provided in the point of the fiber-scope/video-scope, or to remove obstructions on an observed portion, the air or water is discharged from the tip of the fiber-scope/video-scope. When supplying the air, the compressed air flows in the air tube and is then discharged from the tip of the fiber-scope/video-scope. On the other hand, when supplying the water, the compressed air is directed to the inside of the tank, where the water surface is pressed due to the pressure of the compressed gas. Consequently, the water in the tank is pumped out, and flows in the water supplying tube so that the water is discharged from the tip of the fiber-scope/video-scope.
Further, medicinal liquid for inspecting the diseased portion, nitrogen for expanding the inside of the digestive organ, and oxygen for the bronchial tubes are dischargeable via the water supplying tube or the air supplying tube.
In the case of the conventional construction of the liquid and gas supply apparatus, when the tank inclines, water can flow through the air supplying tube and can be unexpectedly discharged from the tip, hence the water is not discharged properly. Especially, the conventional liquid and gas supply apparatus mounted on a desk or table is not suitable for a portable endoscope having an internal light source, because the portablity is reduced.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid and gas supply apparatus that is capable of preventing unexpected discharge of liquid, and provide a portable endoscope with the liquid and gas supply apparatus.
A liquid and gas supply apparatus according to the present invention is applied to an endoscope, and supplies liquid and gas to a liquid supplying tube and a gas supplying tube respectively. The liquid supplying tube and the gas supplying tube are provided in an endoscope (a fiber-scope or a video-scope with an image sensor). The liquid and gas supply apparatus has a pump, a tank, a first coupling tube, a divergent tube, a balloon, a second coupling tube, and a gas direction controller. The pump pumps the gas, and the tank stores the liquid. The first coupling tube spatially connects the pump with the gas supplying tube. The divergent tube diverges from the first coupling tube and extends toward the inside of the tank. The balloon is spatially connected to the divergent tube and is expandable and shrinkable in the tank. The second coupling tube spatially connects the inside of the tank with the liquid supplying tube such that the liquid in the tank flows in the second coupling tube. The gas direction controller selectively directs the gas discharged from the pump to either the gas supplying tube or the divergent tube. For example, a switch button for performing the gas-supply and the liquid-supply is provided on the endoscope, and a flow-controlling member (for example, a valve) that selectively directs the gas to the gas supplying tube or the divergent tube, is connected to the switch button.
In the present invention, the liquid is stored outside the balloon, and the balloon is constructed such that the liquid outside the balloon does not penetrate to the balloon. The tank includes a sealing member that hermetically seals the tank except for the second coupling tube and the divergent tube. When the gas is supplied, the gas flows in the first coupling tube and the gas supplying tube so that the gas is discharged from the tip of the endoscope. On the other hand, when the liquid is supplied, the gas is directed to the inside of the balloon via the divergent tube by the gas direction controller. The balloon expands due to the input of gas, and the liquid in the tank is pressed because the tank is sealed hermetically. Consequently, the liquid flows in the second coupling tube and is discharged from the tip of the endoscope. Since the liquid does not pass through the balloon, the liquid does not flow into the first coupling tube and the gas supplying tube. Thus, the liquid is not erratically discharged from the tip of the endoscope.
For example, the gas is air and the liquid is water. In this case, preferably, the pump takes in flesh air and discharges compressed air. The compressed air directed to the balloon to expand the balloon. The balloon is expandable and shrinkable. For example, the balloon is composed of a rubber elastic member.
A liquid and gas supply apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention has a pump, a tank, a first coupling tube, a divergent tube, a balloon, a second coupling tube, and a gas direction controller. The pump pumps the gas, and the tank stores the liquid. The first coupling tube spatially connects the pump with the gas supplying tube. The divergent tube diverges from the first coupling tube and extends toward an inside of the tank. The second coupling tube spatially connects the inside of the tank with the liquid supplying tube. The balloon is spatially connected to the second coupling tube and is expandable and shrinkable in the tank. The gas direction controller selectively directs the gas discharged from the pump to one of the gas supplying tube and the divergent tube. The tank includes a sealing member that hermetically seals the tank except for the second coupling tube and the divergent tube. In the present invention, the liquid is stored inside the balloon. When the gas is supplied, the gas flows in the first coupling tube and the gas supplying tube so that the gas is discharged from the tip of the endoscope. On the other hand, when the liquid is supplied, the gas is directed to the inside of the balloon via the divergent tube by the gas direction controller. The balloon shrinks due to the increased gas-pressure, and the balloon is pressed because the tank is sealed hermetically. Consequently, the liquid flows in the second coupling tube and is discharged from the tip of the endoscope.
A portable endoscope according to another aspect of the present invention has a gas supplying tube that transmits gas to discharge the gas from a tip of the endoscope, a liquid supplying tube that transmits liquid to discharge the liquid from the tip of the endoscope, a pump that pumps the gas, a tank that stores the liquid, a first coupling tube that spatially connects the pump with the gas supplying tube, a divergent tube that diverges from the first coupling tube and extends toward an inside of the tank, a balloon that is spatially connected to the divergent tube and is expandable and shrinkable in the tank, a second coupling tube that spatially connects the inside of the tank with the liquid supplying tube such that the liquid in the tank flows in the second coupling tube, and a gas direction controller that selectively directs the gas discharged from the pump to one of the gas supplying tube and the divergent tube. The liquid is stored outside the balloon. The tank includes a sealing member that hermetically seals the tank except for the second coupling tube and the divergent tube.
A portable endoscope according to another aspect of the present invention has a gas supplying tube that transmits gas to discharge the gas from a tip of the endoscope, a liquid supplying tube that transmits liquid to discharge the liquid from the tip of the endoscope, a pump that pumps the gas, a tank that stores the liquid, a first coupling tube that spatially connects the pump with the gas supplying tube, a divergent tube that diverges from the first coupling tube and extends toward an inside of the tank, a second coupling tube that spatially connects the inside of the tank with the liquid supplying tube, a balloon that is spatially connected to the second coupling tube and is expandable and shrinkable in the tank, a gas direction controller that selectively directs the gas discharged from the pump to one of the gas supplying tube and the divergent tube. The liquid is stored inside the balloon, and the tank includes a sealing member that hermetically seals the tank except for the second coupling tube and the divergent tube.
A liquid and gas supply apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention has a container that stores liquid, a space divider that divides an inside space of the container into a first space for storing the liquid and a second space such that one of the first space and the second space expands while the other shrinks, a gas transmitting tube that extends to the second space, a liquid transmitting tube that spatially connects the first space with the liquid supplying tube, and a liquid and gas supplier that supplies the gas to the gas supplying tube, and supplies the liquid in the first space to the liquid supplying tube by supplying the gas to the second space and expanding the second space.
A portable endoscope according to another aspect of the present invention has a gas supplying tube that transmits gas to discharge the gas from a tip of the endoscope, a liquid supplying tube that transmits liquid to discharge the liquid from the point of the endoscope, a container that stores liquid, a space divider that divides an inside space of the container into a first space for storing the liquid and a second space such that one of the first space and the second space expands while the other shrinks, a gas transmitting tube that extends to the second space, a liquid transmitting tube that spatially connects the first space with the liquid supplying tube, and a liquid and gas supplier that supplies the gas to the gas supplying tube, and supplies the liquid in the first space to the liquid supplying tube by supplying the gas to the second space and expanding the second space.